The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Should I replace my wheel studs?

Hello all,

I'm working on my '61 Apache, renewing all brake and wheel bearing components. I was wondering what thoughts there are on replacing wheel studs. The originals appear to be in good condition, but they do break obviously. Since I'm working in this area, should I swap them out as a preventative measure? If so, what is the best way to accomplish this?

Thanks,

Greenman Wood

Evaluate availability, cost, and how much trouble it'll be.

If easy and cheap go for it, and if not the decide how bad you want to replace them.

If they look bad in any way, damaged threads, bent, rusted... or if they're to short for the wheels you use then go ahead and replace.

Wheel studs aren't usually on the "must replace" list, like axle/spring U-bolts.

Sounds like you are making work for yourself .

"The originals appear to be in good condition"

You will see that the studs are peened (swaged) in and if the correct tool is not used to cut that swage out , then damage can be done to the hub/axle , reducing the effective setting of the new studs .

As Grigg says "Wheel studs aren't usually on the "must replace" list"

Thanks for these replies, they are appreciated. Could you elaborate on peen/swage? I've looked both terms up, but I'm not sure I understand. I'm going to take both your advice and leave them be, but if you could explain, especially about using the correct tool to cut the swage out (and what that tool is), I would be grateful. Virtually all the videos on YouTube regarding removal and replacement of of wheel studs merely shows them them being whacked out with a hammer and then drawn back in with a combination of washers and lug nuts. This just didn't seem right to me, which is why I'm posting this to the real experts on Stovebolt.com. What is the proper way to remove and replace wheel studs if/when I need to? Thanks again.

The you tube videos lie- - - -or to be charitable, the folks posting them don't know their butts from third base. When original equipment studs are installed, they're pressed in, and then the ends of the splines are peened with a special tool and a pneumatic hammer to assure they don't back out if the lug nut gets loose. In some instances, the brake drum is also retained by the peened-over spline, usually on front hubs. There is a special core tool cutter that's supposed to be used to cut the swaged area away before the stud is removed to prevent the expanded section from damaging the hub or axle flange on the way out. Then a new stud is pressed in with either a big C clamp and a deep socket, a ball joint press tool, or a hydraulic press, and swaged into place again with an air hammer and the correct tool. Pulling a stud in with a stack of washers and a lug nut can over stress the thread and stretch it, making it susceptible to breaking. You Tube videos are worth what it costs to watch them, in a lot of situations. Don't bet your life on them.
Jerry

Not all studs are swagged in place.
On larger trucks they’re usually just pressed in, so easier to remove and replace.

For sure figure out what you’re working with before deciding on a plan for removal, if necessary.

Here's a good link describing swedged wheel studs. Sewdged Wheel studs
Also a good discussion of the difference between knurled and swedged here: Stovebolt thread

Great information, learning so much. Many thanks!
I've attached two pictures. Do these look swedged or are they simply splined?

From your pics, I'd guess yours are swedged in place. One of the guys in the other thread suggested grinding the head off the back side and driving them out from the back. That prevents the swedged part from damaging the hub if driven out from the front without machining out the swedged part.

Should you replace your wheel studs that appear to be in good condition? Why? As these replies prove, you're just opening a whole can of unnecessary worms.

"They do break obviously." Not very darned often in street applications. Outside of severe duty off-road or racing usage, most of the breakage I've seen is a result of heavy-handed tire monkeys getting carried away with impact guns. I see lug holes torn out of wheels more frequently than stud breakage. I've run Model A hubs on my hot rods before, and my current daily driver 4x4 has nearly 500,000 miles of heavy towing and off-road use and never had a wheel stud break. If a stud ever does break, it's not like your wheel will fall off - you have several more still holding it on.

Stop looking for trouble.

I had 4 of 5 studs break on the interstate once, just about lost the left rear wheels...
They had probably been loose and I didn’t know it.

This is what I came here for. Stovebolters rule. Thanks all.

The biggest hazard to wheel studs is incorrect torque. Anytime several bolts or studs are used to fasten parts together, the tightest nut or bolt holds almost all the load. When that one stretches or breaks, the next-tightest one takes over, etc. The solution is to use a torque wrench on wheel nuts and make sure all the nuts are tightened evenly. Try having 5 guys hold up a heavy weight for a while. The 5' 3" guy will get tired and let go before the 6' 4" one does. Ditto for wheel studs that are tightened unevenly.
Jerry

Thank you, Jerry

Your warning is so logical that it hurts not knowing/thinking about that possible problem from mis-tightening wheel-stud nuts.

So, if you find you have to tighten only a few bolts, would you recommend loosening and tightening all bolts? - no need to reply

Failing to torque a cylinder head properly might result in a blown head gasket. Not torquing lug nuts could result in a very long "dirt nap'!!
Jerry

Studs will break from abuse or mis-tightening. In those cases however, new studs are just as likely to break as old studs.
Unless your studs are damaged, installing new ones does almost nothing to prevent future breakage.

Glad I stumbled on this thread, as I have a friend with a 37 Chevy car he is trying to beat the wheel studs out without success. I had no idea they were swaged in, which I believe is his
problem. I am thinking a 1/2 inch hole saw might fit over the 7/16 stud to cut a relief in the stud so they can then be punched out, since I doubt I can talk him into ever spending money for good tools to do most of his projects right. Well after looking I don't think you can get a 1/2 hole saw unless it's diamond tip which probably won't work. The Goodson wheel stud swag cutter is probably the best option short of grinding, and drilling them out.

This subject has me wondering, how did the roadside shops deal with the issue of swaged wheel studs back in the day? Seems like the OE's made it very difficult for a simple problem , much like we to deal with today ,with over complicated new cars.

They had real tools back in the day.🛠

They also had real mechanics.
Jerry

Has anyone seen a modern tire repair or seller operation use a torque wrench? Is there a torque wrench feature built into their impact wrenches?

They now have a short socket extension(6") that is colored different colors to indicate torque rating.

I use my torque wrench at home.

Ed

I do a lot of followup inspections of "wheel loss" claims against most of the franchise tire stores- - - -Firestone, Goodyear, NTB, etc. I average reporting on 5 or 6 episodes a month, every month, in nine southeastern states. All of them have written policies requiring torquing wheel nuts- - - -which are almost universally ignored. The closest practice that's in common use is the use of "torque sticks", special stepped-down extensions that supposedly limit the torque an impact wrench applies- - - -but only if it's used exactly right. There's a different color torque stick for every commonly used wheel stud and lug nut size and thread, both standard and metric, so a full set of torque sticks covering most of the vehicles in use currently costs around $100.00. They're still a poor substitute for a torque wrench that's being used correctly. As long as franchise store managers are under the gun to put profit above customers' safety, wheels will keep running off cars, and I'll have some excellent job security.

https://www.amazon.com/Astro-78810-...YL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Jerry

I have seen tire shops forget to tighten lugs at all - just finger tight. The wheels fell off in less than 50 miles. The wheels were ruined of course - elongated the holes by wobbling on the studs.

"I have seen tire shops forget to tighten lugs at all - just finger tight."

In 1970, a Sears Automotive Ship in VA installed a new set of 6:50x16 bias ply truck tires (probably All State?) on my junker 1948 Panel. They did not tighten any of the lugs (as miraclepieco described).

About 5 miles later I was hearing odd noises (in low speed in-town driving). Each wheel had lost a least 2 lugs. BUT WORSE was that every stud had the threads stripped by the loose wobbling wheels. The wheels were still usable. If I had driven it on a highway, I'd probably be dead.

I never replaced the studs - living dangerously.

Anybody who is able to ignore the racket a loose wheel makes should seriously consider whether or not they have enough intelligence to be out in public, let alone be in control of a couple of tons of metal at highway speed!
Jerry

I once had a 63 panel. I walked up to it in a parking lot and noticed it only had one lug nut on the right rear. In disbelief and closer inspection four lug nuts were gone and one was a couple feet behind the truck. I’m not sure what that means except some one was watching out for me. And it wasn’t the idiot over tightening the nuts.